Friday, April 11, 2008

Dying Peacefully After 105 Years

When Gerald was younger, we took the family to go see this friend of the family. It was Rose who made the connection with him. Of course she would with those beautiful blue eyes, blonde curly hair and the three year old voice of a tiny angel. Here was Gerald effortlessly holding Rose in his lap telling her stories about her Great Grandpa Harkey. His brain was sharp for being 104 years old at the time. Until recently, the Great, Great, Great Grandpa was still walking. Yesterday, lying in bed with an oxygen mask, we saw him again.

"Hello, Gerald! It's one of Harkey's grandkids." He really doesn't know me well, but that doesn't stop me from taking the kids to the nursing home to see him.

His glazed eyes twinkled and his heart smiled when he recognized good ol' Harkey's name (my grandpa). It was a short stay, yet one I will never forget. I don't recall if he ever said anything that day his presence, his closeness with God did all the talking.

What a witness God has given us to follow. Praise the Lord!

The next day during the car pool with three other co-workers, leaning towards despair a one of the ladies said. "We saw Grandpa Gerald last night, it's not looking good. No solids for two weeks and his digestive system isn't isn't working." She was close to tears.

Grandpa Gerald? That was news to me. "Gerald is your Grandpa? I had no idea, when were you there? We must have just missed each other." Strangely enough her mood noticeably became more peaceful with the comment. Yes, Gerald is a great prayer warrior already bearing fruit.

"Look! Over There!"

Why was one of the car poolers interrupting the conversation to point to some clouds? Selfishly, I thought it was rude, until I followed her finger.

There it was, a sign! On this dark cloudy morning with absolutely no rain in site was the base of a beautiful rainbow.

beautiful rainbow, rainbow landscape, double rainbow

2 comments:

Easter Almuena said...

What a great photo! I will have to come back and finish reading your other posts, especially the one on St. Robert Bellarmine.

Hope all's ok with you and your dear family!

Easter Almuena said...

What a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing this with us!